Popular Herb Can Keep Boxelder Bugs Away This Fall In New York

Boxelder bugs are often found in Upstate New York throughout the fall time. Here's a simple way to keep them out of your home or workplace.

These bugs are usually not noticed during summer time. However, in the fall time they can become an issue because they try to move into homes as they search for overwintering sites according to the DEC.

Adult boxelder bugs are about 1/2-inch long, black with orange or red markings, including three stripes on the prothorax, the area right behind the head. Their wings lay flat over their bodies, overlapping each other to form an 'X'. The immature nymphs are 1/16th-inch long and bright red when they first hatch. As they grow older and become larger, they are red and black. You can potentially see all stages at any given time during the summer."

Boxelder bugs are harmless. They do not bite or sting and they are not attracted to food like ants. However, they can still be very annoying. They do emit a bad odor when crushed and have a bitter taste if your pets bite or eat one.

What Herb Can Keep Them Away?

There's a handy household herb that can send box elder bugs running away. According to HouseDigest, boxelder bugs don't like the natural chemicals in sage. So if you either buy a few sage plants (or already have them planted in your garden), you're already ahead of the game.

If you don't have any sage in your garden, like me, you can make your own natural sage-based box elder spray. HouseDigest explains how:

Boil a handful of dried sage in water until the liquid darkens. Strain this infused liquid, let it cool, and pour it into a spray bottle. Your DIY sage repellent is ready to go — target areas where boxelder bugs congregate."

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